


Distance Doesn't Matter, My Love for you is True

by Innocentfighter



Series: Inquisitor Alessandra Cousland, Hero of Ferelden [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Kissing, Long-Distance Relationship, Long-Term Relationship(s), Love Notes, Reunions, Romance, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, The Calling, Warden Inquisitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 01:35:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16944513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: Ally goes to meet Hawke’s Warden Friend. She already knows who it is.





	Distance Doesn't Matter, My Love for you is True

**Author's Note:**

> REUNION FICS. HELL YEAH! They've found each other, and now Varric knows!

> **Codex Entry: Stolen Moments**
> 
> _Alistair,_
> 
> _In a strange set of circumstances, the friend you were working with so closely to learn more of red lyrium is a friend of the Inquisition. Or rather, a friend of one of the inner circle. She’s asked us to meet with you to discuss the wardens. It is a small world. Have I mentioned that the templar (now former) Cullen is the commander of the Inquisition? He does not seem to remember me as I was, not that I can entirely blame him._
> 
> _I write this partly in warning, but partly in joy. We will be seeing each other within weeks after being separated for so long._
> 
> _My warning is to remind you that the Inquisition does not know of my true identity as Warden Alessandra, rather the Hero of Ferelden, and while nothing would make me happier, you cannot sweep me into your arms the moment our eyes meet._
> 
> _If possible, we can have our reunion once the official business of keeping the world from ending is dealt with._
> 
> _With all my love,_
> 
> _Alessandra Cousland-Therin_

* * *

It is harder than she thought it would be to hold herself back from embracing Alistair. She can see the effort in his face to do the same. Thank the Maker for Hawke delivering her letter with no questions asked and that Cassandra took lead on asking questions.

Ally listens keenly, it wasn’t anything that she didn’t know. All wardens were hearing the Calling. She is supposed to be finding a cure. Blackwall shifts behind her. _That_ was the question she had yet to find an answer to. Right now, he is on their side, so she doesn’t want to offend him, and really having a Gray Warden who isn’t crazy is stunningly good for morale. She’ll drop it for now and talk about it with Alistair later.

It isn’t like Blackwall is ruining the Gray Warden name worse than they’re ruining it themselves.

“I believe that covers it,” Alistair says, “I’ll meet you at the ritual tower.”

Ally perks up.

“I agree. We will return to Skyhold and strategize.”

Alistair nods, “very well. If I may speak to the Inquisitor alone for a moment?”

He companions visibly tense. Ally smiles warmly, “of course. Cassandra, talk with Hawke and see if she has any other leads on beating Corypheus.”

Cassandra scowls, “Inquisitor, he is-”

“He is a hero and an ally, we can trust him this much,” Ally responds sternly.

Alistair’s reputation has never recovered from Loghain’s scheming and Eamon’s manipulation. It is hard for those who had been untouched by the battle of Ostagar to understand, harder still for those who were there. Even she had her doubts about the situation, she hadn’t seen the battlefield, not really, but she could not bring herself to regret the choices she made. Maybe they had been too late.

Only the Maker knows.

Cassandra backs down. She slowly starts to leave the room, Blackwall and Varric trailing behind her.

Ally waits a few minutes before practically launching herself at Alistair. Alistair pulls her tightly to his chest before lifting her from the ground slightly. His hugs hadn’t changed in their years of separations, it was warm and it was home.

“Maker, how I’ve missed you,” Alistair breaths into the crown of her head once he set her on the ground.

“I have missed you the same, husband,” Ally grins as she pulled away, only so that she could lean on her toes and sneak a chaste kiss.

Alistair deepens it briefly before they both fell back and just enjoyed each other’s presence. Ally hadn’t realized how badly she misses her husband until she is in his presence again. A drink of water in the desert. Alistair pulls her back to him and kisses her temple, cheek and then ended on her lips.

“Has it gotten worse?” Ally whispers.

“Somedays it is unbearable,” Alistair replies just as quietly, “but I have the greatest reason to fight.”

Ally smiles, “I wish I could have found the cure, before all of this.”

“I cannot blame you, the Inquisition and hole in the sky seem to take priority,” Alistair chuckles and then sobers, “but a cure would be useless in the current state of the order, it might lessen the chaos, but the foundations have been shaken.”

“True,” Ally mumbles, “and there is no telling if a cure would work, if this is some kind of manufactured calling.”

Alistair shrugs, “from everything I’ve been told prior, this is the real thing.”

“I don’t understand any of this,” Ally shuffles her foot angrily, “what is going on?”

“Perhaps we’ll find answers at Adamant,” Alistair replies, and pulls her close again, “but for now, I want to hold you again before we must part.”

“You could just join the Inquisition,” Ally leans into his hold, “it’s not like we’ll kick you out. If they try, they’ll have to deal with me.”

Alistair laughs, “perhaps, if we can’t get answers from the Western Approach, but one of us should head to Weisshaupt if that’s the case.”

Ally wrinkles her nose, “I wish we didn’t have to part.”

“As do I, but the world can’t keep trying to tear itself apart forever.”

“Right,” Ally shoots him an unimpressed glare.

Alistair snorts and presses his nose to the crown of her head. Ally presses her head into his neck.

“Inquisitor, Cassandra is starting to get that murderous crease-”

Ally twists away from Alistair, enough to make eye contact with Varric but not enough to leave Alistair’s embrace. Varric looks between them, his lips pursed in thought.

“If I remember right, you’re married,” Varric says to Alistair.

Alistair visibly preens for a second and then he tenses. Ally squeezes his hand in reassurance. He relaxes marginally. Varric doesn’t miss the exchange between them and he glances at Ally.

“So, since the romance between Warden Alistair and the Hero of Ferelden is legendary, I’m thinking he didn’t fall for you, Inquisitor in the ten minutes we’ve known him. Which means that you haven’t told us everything” Varric raises an eyebrow.

Ally places her hands in the air, “that is the truth.”

Varric rubs his chin, “the dammed Hero of Ferelden is the Herald of Andraste and the Inquisitor.”

“I have a lot of titles,” Ally says as she worries her lip, “Varric, please don’t make an issue of this.”

“You have a reason to keep it secret,” Varric replies, “and it’s not like I haven’t kept my own from the inquisition.”

“Thank you,” Ally breathes.

Alistair inclines his head towards the dwarf.

“But, how are you not affected by the Calling like the others?” Varric asks.

Ally purses her lips, “my best guess is that it has something to do with me killing the Archdemon and living, otherwise I am as lost as you.”

“Inquisitor!” Cassandra’s voice echoes down the hall.

Varric winces.

Ally turns back towards Alistair and goes onto her toes to place a chaste kiss on his lips, “I will see you soon, my love.”

Alistair lifts one of her hands to his lips, “I will miss you every second, my heart.”

Varric goes out into the hall, and Ally trails after him. She sends Alistair one last smile, which he returns brightly. Ally for a second is surprised by how similar he looks to his twenty-year-old self, but that makes her smile grow. After all these years, he was still the same man.

“Promise?”

“Always.”

“Cassandra, we were just finishing up!” Varric moves ahead of her.

Ally stays a second longer and then slips the mask of the Inquisitor on.

* * *

Camp that night was a quiet affair. Cassandra is on watch and Blackwall was already tucked away snoring loudly. Ally watches the fire flicker and thinks of the nights during the Blight, her companions may not have gotten along well, but there was never a dull moment.

It was the happiest she could be at times.

“So,” Varric sits down next to her, “Hero of Ferelden.”

Ally groans softly, “Varric, I asked you to not make it an issue.”

“I’m not,” the dwarf sounds sincere, “I just have a few questions.”

“For your next book?” Ally tilts her head towards him.

“Maybe,” Varric shrugs, “but they’re more than just academic.”

“Okay,” Ally sighs.

“Why haven’t you told anyone?” Varric asks.

Ally shrugs, “Leliana knows.”

“She knows everything.”

“She traveled with me during the Blight and she asked that I help to settle the conflict at the conclave,” Ally replies, “I was never supposed to be…this.”

Varric nods, “no one was expecting it. But you haven’t answered my question.”

Ally laughs lightly, “notice that did you. I didn’t want to tell anyone because, well, Wardens aren’t meant to be political.”

“You didn’t think that telling people that you’re the Hero of Ferelden would raise morale?” Varric glances towards Blackwall’s tent.

“I thought that, if I were to fail, it would be an impossible blow to recover from,” Ally answers, “I didn’t want the Inquisition undermined by the person I used to be.”

“You’re still her,” Varric counters.

Ally shakes her head, “is Hawke always the Champion of Kirkwall? Is she that now?”

Varric blinks, “fair point.”

Ally stares at the stars and fights back the memories, “not to mention, that was ten years ago. I was barely an adult and I was grieving. I had nothing to lose back then, so I gambled with what I did have.”

“I’ll keep your secret,” Varric says after a pause.

“Thank you.”

Varric gaze turns serious, “but you’re definitely not part of what’s made the Warden’s vanish?”

“No, they branded my Husband a traitor for defending me and standing against them. I’ve been on an unsanctioned mission for months before they all retreated,” Ally says sharply, “if you need more confirmation than my word you may ask Leliana to confirm when we return to Skyhold.”

“I believe you,” Varric raises his hands, “I just had to make sure. This Inquisition is the only hope we have.”

Ally smiles faintly, “with people like you in its ranks, Varric, there is no doubt as to why people believe in it.”

Varric snorts, “so says the Hero of Ferelden.”

“Stop calling me that,” Ally squawks playfully.

* * *

> **Codex Entry: Love Letter**
> 
> _Love,_
> 
> _I wonder if you’ll notice when I slip this note into your pocket? I’ve been practicing since I received your letter from Hawke. How excited I was to see your handwriting on the envelope. We likely won’t have the time to properly reunite, it will only make the next time we see each other all the sweeter. When this is done, all of it, we’ll be together again and this time it’ll be forever._
> 
> _But, on the off chance our separation lasts longer than I am expecting… you have made me happier than I ever dreamed possible. You’re more than I deserve and I hope I’ve made your days easier as well._
> 
> _With all my love,_
> 
> _Alistair_

**Author's Note:**

> As always, leave your thoughts below and I will see you next time!


End file.
